This article is about the history of Vilnius, the capital and largest city of Lithuania. Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublika is a Country in Eastern often referred to as Northern Europe or in the

Contents 1 Middle Ages 2 Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth 3 Russian Empire 4 Interwar period 4.1 Polish-Lithuanian conflict 4.2 Poland 5 World War II 6 Soviet occupation 7 Independent Lithuania 8 References 9 Bibliography 10 See also

Middle Ages

The earliest settlements in the area of present day Vilnius appear to be of mesolithic origin. The Mesolithic or Middle Stone Age was a period in the development of human technology in between the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age and the Neolithic or New Stone Age Numerous archaeological findings in different parts of the city prove that the area has been inhabited by peoples of various cultures since the early Middle Ages. Archaeology, archeology, or archæology (from Greek grc ἀρχαιολογία archaiologia – grc ἀρχαῖος archaīos Initially a Baltic settlement, later it was also inhabited by Slavs, Jews and Germans. The Balts or Baltic peoples (People who live by the Baltic Sea) defined as speakers of one of the Baltic languages, a branch of the Indo-European PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Some historians identify the city with Voruta, a forgotten capital of King Mindaugas. Voruta may have been the Capital city of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Lithuania during the reign of king Mindaugas in the Mindaugas (ˈmındoʊgʌs ca 1203 – 12 September 1263) was the first known Grand Duke of Lithuania, a title he gained ca

The city was first mentioned in written sources in 1323 as the capital city of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the letters of Gediminas. The Grand Duchy of Lithuania (Lietuvos Didžioji Kunigaikštystė old literary Lithuanian Didi Kunigiste Letuvos, Ruthenian: Wialikaje Kniastwa Litowskaje There are 6 surviving transcripts of letters of Gediminas written in 1323-1324 by Grand Duke Gediminas. Gediminas built his wooden castle on a hill in the city. The city became more widely known after he wrote a circular letter of invitation to Germans and Jews to the principal Hansa towns in 1325, offering free access into his domains to men of every order and profession. Vilnius was granted city rights by Jogaila in 1387, following the Christianization of Lithuania and the construction of the Vilnius Cathedral. Magdeburg Rights (Magdeburger Recht or Magdeburg Law were a set of German town laws regulating the degree of internal autonomy within cities and villages granted with Jogaila, later Władysław II Jagiełło (b about 1362 d 1 June 1434 was Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland. The Christianization of Lithuania (Lietuvos krikštas was the event that took place in 1387 initiated by the Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland Vilnius Cathedral (Vilniaus Šv Stanislovo ir Šv Vladislovo arkikatedra bazilika is the main Roman Catholic Cathedral of Lithuania. The town was initially populated by local Lithuanians, but soon the population began to grow as craftsmen and merchants of other nationalities settled in the city. Lithuanians are the Baltic Ethnic group native to Lithuania, where they number a little over 3 million An artisan, also called a Craftsman, is a skilled manual worker who crafts items that may be functional or strictly decorative including furniture clothing Merchants function as professionals who deal with Trade, dealing in commodities that they do not produce themselves in order to produce Profit.

According to a tale, tired after a busy hunting day, Gediminas had a prophetic dream about an iron wolf howling on a top of the hill. St Nicholas Church (Šv Mikalojaus bažnyčia is the oldest surviving church in Lithuania, built in the Old Town of the capital city Vilnius. Gediminas (ca 1275 – winter 1341 was the Monarch of medieval Grand Duchy of Lithuania with the title lt didysis kunigaikštis (вялікі князь Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 The grey wolf or gray wolf ( Canis lupus) also known as the timber wolf or simply wolf, is a Mammal of the order Carnivora When he asked a krivis (a pagan priest) Lizdeika for an explanation of the dream, he was told that he must build a castle on the top of that hill, which is strategically surrounded by three rivers (Neris, Vilnia, and Vingria (now underground)) and a grand city around that hill, so that "the iron-wolf-like sound about this great city would spread around the world". A castle is a defensive structure seen as one of the main symbols of the Middle Ages. Neris ( Ві́лія or Вя́льля Vialla) is a river arising in Belarus, flowing through Vilnius ( Lithuania) and becoming a tributary Vilnia (also Vilnelė; Вільня/Vilnia, 'vʲilʲnʲa Wilejka Wilenka is a River in Lithuania. Some versions of this tale state, that for his advice, Lizdeika was given a name of Radziwiłł. Radziwiłł in Polish, (Radvila Radziwill Радзівіл Radzivił Radvil is a family of high nobility which has been powerful and important for centuries ^[1][2][3][4] The derivative of a Lithuanian name Radvila has also been falsely interpreted as derived from the Belarusian word "радзіць" or Polish "radzi" (meaning "advises"). Lithuanian ( lietuvių kalba) is the official state language of Lithuania and is recognised as one of the official languages of the European Union. The Belarusian language, or Belorussian,(беларуская мова BGN/PCGN: byelaruskaya mova, Scientific: belaruskaja mova Polish ( język polski, polszczyzna) is the Official language of Poland.

Between 1503 and 1522, for the sake of protection from Crimean Tatar attacks, the city was surrounded by walls that had nine gates and three towers. Crimean Tatars (sg Qırımtatar, pl Qırımtatarlar) or Crimeans (sg See also List of cities with defensive walls A defensive wall is a Fortification used to defend a city or settlement from potential aggressors A city gate is a Gate which is or was set within a City wall. Communities of Lithuanians, Jews, Ruthenians, and Germans were present in different areas of Vilnius. Lithuanians are the Baltic Ethnic group native to Lithuania, where they number a little over 3 million PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ The term Ruthenians (Русини Rusyny) is a culturally loaded term and has different meanings according to the context in which it is used The German people (Deutsche are an Ethnic group, in the sense of sharing a common German culture, descent and speaking the German language as The Orthodox inhabitants concentrated in the eastern part of the city left of the "Pilies Street", while mostly Germans and Jews occupied the western side of the city around the "German Street". Pilies Street (literally "Castle Street" Pilies gatvė is one of the main streets in the Old Town of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. The town reached the peak of its development under the reign of Sigismund II Augustus, Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland, who moved his court there in 1544 with a large number of Polish royal servants, making up a larger part of then insignificant Polish speaking population. For other nobles of the same name please see Sigismund. Sigismund II Augustus I (Zygmunt II August The Polish people, or Poles, (Polacy) are a Western Slavic Ethnic group of Central Europe, living predominantly in Poland. This event greatly impelled the Polonization of the city's inhabitants. ^[5] In the 16th century Vilnius became a constantly growing and developing city, as Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland Sigismund II Augustus and his mother queen Bona Sforza were spending much of their time in the Royal Palace of Lithuania. For other nobles of the same name please see Sigismund. Sigismund II Augustus I (Zygmunt II August Princess Mother redirects here for Princess Mother Srinagraidra of Thailand see Srinagarindra A Queen Dowager or Dowager Queen (compare Biography Bona was born in Vigevano, daughter of Gian Galeazzo Sforza of Milan and Isabella of Naples. The Royal Palace of Lithuania (Valdovų rūmai is a palace in Vilnius, Lithuania, built in the 15th century for the rulers of the

Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

After the Union of Lublin (1569) that created the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the city flourished further in part due to the establishment of Vilnius University by Stefan Batory, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania in 1579. The Union of Lublin (Liublino unija Belarusian: Лю́блінская ву́нія Polish: Unia The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, officially the Commonwealth of the Crown of the Polish Kingdom and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania also known as the Most Serene Republic Vilnius University (Vilniaus Universitetas formerly known as Vilnius State University, earlier - Stefan Batory University and before that Almae This article is about the ruler of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the 16th century The university soon developed into one of the most important scientific and cultural centers of the region and the most notable scientific center of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The Grand Duchy of Lithuania (Lietuvos Didžioji Kunigaikštystė old literary Lithuanian Didi Kunigiste Letuvos, Ruthenian: Wialikaje Kniastwa Litowskaje Political, economic and social life was in full swing there. This is among all proven by the Lithuanian Statutes issued in the 16th century, the last of which was still in force until the 19th century. The Statutes of Lithuania originally known as the Statutes of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ( Lithuanian: Lietuvos statutai, Belarusian: Статуты The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar In 1769 the Rasos Cemetery was founded; today it is one of the oldest surviving cemeteries in the city. Rasos Cemetery (Rasų kapinės Cmentarz na Rossie is the oldest and most famous cemetery in the city of Vilnius, Lithuania.

Rapidly developing, the city was open to migrants from both East and West. Immigration refers to the movement of people among countries While the movement of people has existed throughout human history at various levels modern immigration implies long-term In addition to old citizens, larger Jewish, Orthodox and German communities established themselves in the city. Each group made its contribution to the life of the city, and crafts, trade and science prospered. In 1655 during the Russo-Polish War (1654–1667) Vilnius was captured by the forces of Russia and was pillaged, burned and the population was massacred. The Russo-Polish War of 1654–1667, also called the War for Ukraine, was the last major conflict between the Tsardom of Russia and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The city's growth lost its momentum for many years, yet the number of inhabitants recovered and by the beginning of the 19th century the city was the third largest city in Eastern Europe. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar

Russian Empire

After the Third Partition of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1795, Vilnius was annexed by the Russian Empire and became the capital of Vilna Governorate, a part of the Northwestern Krai. The Partitions of Poland or Partitions of the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in the second half of the 18th century and ended the existence of the The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya The Vilnа Governorate (1801-1840 often named Lithuania-Vilna Governorate) (Виленская губерния Vilenskaya guberniya, Vilniaus gubernija or Northwestern Krai (Северозападный край a part of the Western Krai, was a subdivision ( Krai) of Imperial Russia. In order to allow the city to expand, between 1799-1805 period, the city walls were pulled down, only the Dawn Gate (also known as Aušros vartai, Medininkų vartai or Ostra Brama, Вострая Брама) remained. Gate of Dawn (Aušros Vartai Ostra Brama Вострая Брама was built between 1503 and 1522 as a part of defensive fortifications for the In 1812 the city was seized by Napoleon on his push towards Moscow. Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. The French invasion of Russia in 1812 was a turning point in the Napoleonic Wars. Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of After the failure of the campaign, the Grande Armée retreated to the area where 80,000 of French soldiers died and were buried in the trenches they had built months earlier. A trench is a type of excavation or depression in the ground Trenches are generally defined by being deeper than they are wide (as opposed to a wider Gully or Ditch After the November Uprising the Vilnius University was closed and repressions halted the further development of the city. The November Uprising (1830&ndash1831&mdashalso known as the Cadet Revolution &mdashwas an armed rebellion against the rule of the Russian Empire in Poland Vilnius University (Vilniaus Universitetas formerly known as Vilnius State University, earlier - Stefan Batory University and before that Almae During the January Uprising in 1863 heavy city fights occurred, but were brutally pacified by Mikhail Muravyov, nicknamed The Hanger by the population because of the number of executions he organized. The January Uprising ( Polish: powstanie styczniowe, Lithuanian: 1863 m Peace, in the modern usage is a concept defined by the ideal state of relationship as absence of hostility at the international level that of a War. Count Mikhail Nikolayevich Muravyov (Михаи́л Никола́евич Муравьёв 1796-1866 was one of the most reactionary Russian imperial statesmen of the 19th century After the uprising all liberties were halted and the Lithuanian, Polish, and Belarusian languages were banned. Lithuanian ( lietuvių kalba) is the official state language of Lithuania and is recognised as one of the official languages of the European Union. Polish ( język polski, polszczyzna) is the Official language of Poland. The Belarusian language, or Belorussian,(беларуская мова BGN/PCGN: byelaruskaya mova, Scientific: belaruskaja mova

During the second half of 19th and the beginning of 20th century Vilnius also became one of the centers of Jewish, Polish, Lithuanian and Belarusian national rebirths. Belarus ( Belarusian Беларусь / Biełaruś is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east Jewish culture and population was so dominant that some Jewish national revival leaders argued for a new Jewish state to be founded in a Vilnius region, with a city as its capital. These national revivals happened in Vilnius because it was one the most tolerant, progressive and liberal places in a region, legacy of the tolerance deriving from the years of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. One of the most important Polish, Belarusian poets and writers published their works in Vilnius at that time. It was the place where the first short-lived Belarusian weekly Naša Niva was founded.

Vilnius became an important place of act of the Lithuanian national revival on December 4-5 1905, when the Great Seimas of Vilnius was held in the Palace of the present-day National Philharmonics, with over 2000 delegates from all regions of Lithuania as well as emigrees. The Great Seimas of Vilnius ( Lithuanian: Didysis Vilniaus Seimas, also known as the Great Assembly of Vilnius, the Grand Diet of Vilnius Lithuania can be divided into historical and cultural regions (called Ethnographic regions It was decided to make a demand to establish an autonomous ethnic Lithuanian state within the Russian Empire with its parliament (Seimas) in Vilnius.

Interwar period

Polish-Lithuanian conflict

During World War I, Vilnius was occupied by Germany from 1915 until 1918. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Still under German occupation, Council of Lithuania proclaimed the Act of Independence of Lithuania in Vilnius on February 16, 1918. The Council of Lithuania (Lietuvos Taryba Litausher Landesrat Rada Litewska after July 11 1918 The State Council of Lithuania (Lithuanian Lietuvos Valstybės Taryba The Act of Independence of Lithuania (Lietuvos Nepriklausomybės Aktas or Act of February 16 was signed by the Council of Lithuania on February 16 1918 proclaiming Events 1249 - Andrew of Longjumeau is dispatched by Louis IX of France as his ambassador to meet with the Khan of the Mongols Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Act proclaimed restoration of the independent state of Lithuania with Vilnius as its capital. The German civilian administration of the Ober-Ost declined to pass full authority to Lithuania, which was not controlled by the Germans any more. Ober Ost is short for Oberbefehlshaber der gesamten Deutschen Streitkräfte im Osten, which is a German term meaning "Supreme Command of All German Forces in the East" Instead, the Germans tried to control the area by means of promoting conflicts between local nationalities as it became clear that the German plan for creation of Mitteleuropa, a net of satellite buffer states, failed. Mitteleuropa (Central/Middle Europe is a German term equal to Central Europe.

Finally, on January 1, 1919, the German garrison withdrew and passed the authority over the city to a local Polish committee, against the pleas of the Lithuanian administration. New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Polish self-defence units formed of local inhabitants took over the posts and a Polish administration started to be formed while the Lithuanians withdrew along with the Germans. However, only three days afterwards, on January 3, 1919 the city was attacked and taken by Bolshevik forces advancing from the east. Events 1431 - Joan of Arc is handed over to the Bishop Pierre Cauchon. Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists ( Большевик Большевист (singular, derived from bolshe, "more" were a faction The city was proclaimed the capital of the short-lived Lithuanian-Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic. The Red Army attack on Vilnius is sometimes cited as the beginning of the Polish-Soviet War. The Red Army ( Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия R aboche- K rest'yanskaya K rasnaya A rmiya For the next 4 months the city became a communist experiment in governance. Communism is a Socioeconomic structure that promotes the establishment of an egalitarian, classless, stateless Society based ^[6] During the course of that conflict, on April 19, 1919 the city was again seized by Poland (Vilna offensive), this time by forces of the regular Polish Army. Events 1012 - Martyrdom of Alphege in Greenwich London. 1529 - At the Second Diet of Speyer Year 1919 ( MCMXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Vilna offensive was a campaign of the Polish-Soviet War of 1919&ndash1921 Polish Land Forces (Wojska Lądowe RP is a branch of Poland 's Armed Forces. ^[6] A year later, on July 14, 1920 it was lost to Soviet forces again (this time, the Soviets were aided by Lithuanians, who were promised Vilnius). Events 1223 - Louis VIII becomes King of France upon the death of his father Philip II of France. Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar

Shortly after the defeat in the Battle of Warsaw in 1920, the withdrawing Red Army handed the city over to Lithuania, in accordance with the Russo-Lithuanian agreement of July 12 of that year. The Battle of Warsaw (Russian Варшáвское сражéние Polish: Bitwa Warszawska sometimes referred to as the Miracle at the Vistula, Polish The Red Army ( Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия R aboche- K rest'yanskaya K rasnaya A rmiya Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublika is a Country in Eastern often referred to as Northern Europe or in the The Soviet–Lithuanian Peace Treaty, also known as the Moscow Peace Treaty, was signed between Lithuania and Soviet Russia on July 12 Events 1191 - Saladin 's garrison surrenders ending the two-year Siege of Acre. The treaty allowed for the transfer to Lithuanian authority of a large part of the areas of the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The Grand Duchy of Lithuania (Lietuvos Didžioji Kunigaikštystė old literary Lithuanian Didi Kunigiste Letuvos, Ruthenian: Wialikaje Kniastwa Litowskaje Although the city itself, as well as its surroundings were actually transferred, the fast pace of the Polish offensive prevented additional territories to be handed over by the Red Army and the disputed area was split into Lithuanian and Polish-controlled parts.

Many historians argue that the main reason behind the Soviet agreement with Lithuania was to weaken Poland and hand the disputed territories to a weaker state, which Lithuania was at the time, in order to reconquer the area more easily after the retreat of the Red Army had halted. The Red Army ( Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия R aboche- K rest'yanskaya K rasnaya A rmiya Also, the independence of the Baltic States was seen by Lenin as temporary. The Baltic states (Balti riigid Baltijas valstis Baltijos valstybės or Baltic countries are three countries in Northern Europe, all members of the However, after the Battle of the Niemen River the Red Army was again defeated and Bolshevik Russia was forced to abandon her plans for reincorporation of all the lands lost by the Russian Empire in the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. The Battle of the Niemen River was the second-greatest battle of the Polish-Soviet War. Bolshevist Russia or Bolshevik Russia is a common term for the Bolshevik side in the Russian Civil War, or more specifically the Russian The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya Not to be confused with the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (February 9 1918, a similar treaty involving Ukraine and the Central Powers.

As Russia ceased to be a major player in the area, Polish-Lithuanian relations worsened. In demographic terms Vilnius was the least Lithuanian of Lithuanian cities, ^[7] divided near evenly between Poles and Jews, with ethnic Lithuanians constituting a mere fraction of the total population (about 2-3% of the population, according to Russian 1897^[8][9] and German 1916 censuses^[10]) The Lithuanians nonetheless believed that their historical claim to the city (former capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania) had precedence and refused to recognize any Polish claims to the city and the surrounding area. The Grand Duchy of Lithuania (Lietuvos Didžioji Kunigaikštystė old literary Lithuanian Didi Kunigiste Letuvos, Ruthenian: Wialikaje Kniastwa Litowskaje ^[7] After the Bolshevik armies were pushed out of the area, the line reached by the Lithuanian forces before the Poles arrived was secured and diplomatic talks started. However, the negotiations on the future of the disputed area, held under the auspice of the Conference of Ambassadors in Brussels and Paris came to a stalemate and the Polish head of state, Józef Piłsudski feared, that the Entente might want to accept the fait accompli created by the Soviet-Lithuanian Treaty of 1920. The Conference of Ambassadors of the Principal Allied and Associated Powers was an inter-allied organ of the Entente in the period following the end of World War I The Triple Entente (" entente " — French for "agreement" was the name given to the loose alignment of the United Kingdom, the Here are some examples of French words and phrases used by English speakers. The Soviet–Lithuanian Peace Treaty, also known as the Moscow Peace Treaty, was signed between Lithuania and Soviet Russia on July 12 As both countries were officially at peace and the Lithuanian side rejected the idea of a plebiscite, the Poles decided to change the stalemate by creating a fait accompli for their own cause. A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita (See Polish-Lithuanian War)

On October 9, 1920, the so called Lithuanian-Belarusian Division of the Polish Army under General Lucjan Żeligowski seized the city in a staged mutiny. Events 768 - Carloman I and Charlemagne are crowned Kings of The Franks. Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar Lucjan Żeligowski (1865-1947 was a Polish General, and veteran of World War I, the Polish-Soviet War and World War II. Żeligowski's Mutiny (Bunt Żeligowskiego also żeligiada, Želigovskio maištas was a staged Mutiny led by Polish General Lucjan Żeligowski Vilnius was declared the capital of Republic of Central Lithuania, with Żeligowski as its head of state. "Central Lithuania" redirects here This is an article about a former state ^[11] The negotiations in Brussels continued, but the Polish move did not simplify the situation. Among the plans proposed by the Entente was a creation of a Polish-Lithuanian state based on a cantonal system, with shared control over the disputed area. A canton is an Administrative division of a country eg a region or state While this was acceptable to both sides, Poland insisted on inviting the representatives of Central Lithuania to the talks. At the same times the Lithuanian politicians argued that the Central Lithuania was but a puppet state of Poland and rejected the idea. A puppet state is a State that is nominally independent but in reality under the control of another power Finally, the talks came to yet another stalemate and no agreement was reached.

Main article: Election in Central Lithuania

On January 8, 1922, general parliamentary elections were held in Central Lithuania. Events 871 - Battle of Ashdown - Ethelred of Wessex defeats a Danish invasion army Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Many evidence showed the elections being unfair. Lithuanian historians also claim that many Lithuanian candidates were not registered because they did not speak Polish ^[12] . Polish ( język polski, polszczyzna) is the Official language of Poland. Apart from the Lithuanian, Jewish and Belarusian organisations that eventually decided to boycott the voting, Poles, who took part in it supported the incorporation of the area into Poland - with different levels of autonomy. A boycott is a form of Consumer activism involving the act of voluntarily abstaining from using buying or dealing with someone or some other organization as an expression of 63. 9% of the entire population took part in the voting, but among different ethnic groups the turnout was lower (41% of Belarusians, 15. Belarusians or Belorussians (Беларусы Biełarusy previously also spelled Belarussians, Byelorussians and Belorusians, also 3% Jews and 8. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ 2% of Lithuanians)^[12]. Lithuanians are the Baltic Ethnic group native to Lithuania, where they number a little over 3 million Poles were the only major ethnic group in which the majority of people voted. This and the frauds noted by the Pro-Polish Chief of Military control sent by League of Nations Col. The League of Nations was an International organization founded as a result of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919–1920 Chardigny in his report were the pretexts for Lithuania not to recognise it. Also, the Lithuanian side argued that the election area covered only the territory of Central Lithuania, that is the areas under Lithuanian administration prior to Żeligowski's action, while it should also cover the areas promised to Lithuania in the Soviet-Lithuanian Treaty of 1920, known as the Vilnius region. The Soviet–Lithuanian Peace Treaty, also known as the Moscow Peace Treaty, was signed between Lithuania and Soviet Russia on July 12

A decision was reached in the Central Lithuanian Parliament on February 20, 1922, to return the whole area to Poland, with Vilnius becoming the capital of the Wilno Voivodship. Events 1472 - Orkney and Shetland are left by Norway to Scotland, due to a Dowry payment Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. This article is about the voivodship of Poland in the interwar period The situation was soon afterwards approved by the Conference of Ambassadors and the League of Nations. The Conference of Ambassadors of the Principal Allied and Associated Powers was an inter-allied organ of the Entente in the period following the end of World War I The League of Nations was an International organization founded as a result of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919–1920 However, the Lithuanian authorities never recognized the status quo and continued to claim sovereignty over the Region of Vilnius. Status quo is a Latin term meaning the present existing state of affairs or "the state in which" Also, the city itself was declared the constitutional capital of the Lithuanian state while Kaunas was only a temporary capital of Lithuania. Kaunas ( ˈkoʊnəs is the second largest City in Lithuania and a former temporary capital. Temporary capital or Provisional/Interim capital ( Lithuanian "Laikinoji sostinė") was the official designation of the city of Kaunas Lithuania and Poland remained at the de facto state of war until the Polish ultimatum to Lithuania in 1938. The 1938 Polish ultimatum to Lithuania was an Ultimatum delivered to Lithuania by Poland on March 17 1938

Poland

Lithuanian authorities never accepted the fact that puppet state's Parliament chose to be part of Poland. That in turn was not understood by Poles who, together with Jews, made up a majority in the city of Vilnius itself. In the years 1920-1939 Poles made up 65% of the population, Jews 28%, 4% Russians, 1% Belarusians 1% Lithuanians^[13]. The Polish people, or Poles, (Polacy) are a Western Slavic Ethnic group of Central Europe, living predominantly in Poland. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ The Russian people (Русские— Russkie) are an East Slavic Ethnic group, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries Belarusians or Belorussians (Беларусы Biełarusy previously also spelled Belarussians, Byelorussians and Belorusians, also Lithuanians are the Baltic Ethnic group native to Lithuania, where they number a little over 3 million Lithuanians therefore were a very marginal minority (less than 3% immediately after World War I, and less than 1% later in 1930s). However, in certain parts of the Polish controlled region other nationalities (Belarusian, Jewish or Lithuanian) made up a majority.

Lithuania claimed its right to encompass a multinational territory, in the same way that Poland did. It also claimed that based on historical criteria, its rights to the area were more justified. The Lithuanian constitution continued to name Vilnius as the capital of the country. Lithuania broke all diplomatic relations with Poland, closed the border and declined to accept the Polish authority over the territory in question until 1938, when taking advantage of the international concern over Nazi Germany actions, Poland presented an ultimatum to Lithuania to renew diplomatic relations and in this way abolished the pressure on Poland about the Vilnius region. Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers Vilnius Region ( Lithuanian: Vilniaus kraštas, Wileńszczyzna generally refers to the territory in the present day Lithuania and Belarus

In spite of the unfavorable geopolitical situation (which prevented the trade with the immediate neighbors: Lithuania, Germany and Soviet Russia) life in the town flourished. A number of new factories, including modern "Elektrit" radio factory was opened. New residential houses were being built throughout the city. Much of the development concentrated along the central Mickiewicz Street, where the modern Jabłkowski Brothers department store was opened, equipped with lifts and automatic doors. Gediminas Avenue (Gedimino prospektas is the main street of Vilnius, where most of the governmental institutions of Lithuania are concentrated including the Jabłkowski Brothers (Bracia Jabłkowscy is a famous Polish trading company celebrated for its group of luxurious Department stores in some of the most prestigious places A department store is a Retail establishment which specializes in selling a wide range of products without a single predominant merchandise line. New radio buildings and towers were erected in 1927, including the site where noted Polish poet and Nobel Prize winner Czesław Miłosz worked. The Nobel Prize (Nobelpriset (Nobelprisen is a Swedish prize established in the 1895 will of Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel; it was first awarded in Peace, Literature Czesław Miłosz; ( June 30, 1911 — August 14, 2004) was a Polish Poet, prose writer and Translator Vilnius University was reopened under the name Stefan Batory University, with Polish as the language of instruction. Vilnius University (Vilniaus Universitetas formerly known as Vilnius State University, earlier - Stefan Batory University and before that Almae This article is about the ruler of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the 16th century The Lithuanian language was discouraged by limiting the number of Lithuanian schools. By 1931 the city had 195,000 inhabitants, which made it the fifth largest city in Poland. The city became an important center of Polish cultural and scientific life, while economically the rest of the region remained relatively backward. It was claimed that this relative underdevelopment, among other issues, was the reason for difficulties with integrating the region and the city with Lithuania, when it regained Vilnius in 1939.

Vilnius was also an informal capital of Yiddish at that time. Yiddish (yi [[wiktייִדיש ייִדיש]] yidish or yi [[wiktאידיש אידיש]] idish, literally "Jewish" is a nonterritorial High The Museum of Jewish culture was founded there in 1919, and YIVO - Institute for Jewish Research, was founded there in 1924. YIVO, ( Yiddish: yi ייִוואָ established in 1925 in Vilna Poland (now Vilnius Lithuania as the Yidisher Visnshaftlekher Institut ( Yiddish A number of important Jewish cultural institutions including theatres, newspapers and magazines, museums and schools, and Jewish PEN-Club were created before Second World War in Vilnius. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including In addition to its Jewish heritage, it continued to be a centre of Belarusian national life in Poland-occupied West Belarus. Belarus ( Belarusian Беларусь / Biełaruś is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east

World War II

In the beginning of the Second World War, Vilnius suffered from continuous German air raids. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Despite German pressure, the Lithuanian government categorically declined the suggestions to participate in Germany's aggression against Poland. As a result of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and subsequent Soviet invasion, the territories of Eastern Poland were occupied by Red Army, which seized the city following a one day defense on September 19, 1939. The Red Army ( Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия R aboche- K rest'yanskaya K rasnaya A rmiya Battle of Wilno (Vilnius Vilna was one of the major Battles during the Soviet invasion of Poland that accompanied the larger German invasion. Events 335 - Dalmatius is raised to the rank of Caesar by his uncle Constantine I. Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. There were plans to include the city and the region as a part of the Belarusian SSR, but eventually it was decided that Vilnius might be used as a way to exert significant influence on Lithuania. The Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (abbreviated as Byelorussian SSR or BSSR) (Беларуская Савецкая Сацыялістычная Рэспубліка Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublika is a Country in Eastern often referred to as Northern Europe or in the

After talks in Moscow on October 10, 1939 the city and its surrounding areas were transferred to Lithuania in exchange for Soviet military bases established in strategic parts of the country. Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of Events 680 - Battle of Karbala: Shia Imam Husayn bin Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, is decapitated Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. While the Lithuanian government attempted to refuse these demands, the Russians left them no choice as their troops would enter the country anyway. Only one fifth of Vilnius region was actually given back to Lithuania, despite the fact that the Soviets had recognized the whole region as a part of Lithuania while it was still under Polish control. Vilnius Region ( Lithuanian: Vilniaus kraštas, Wileńszczyzna generally refers to the territory in the present day Lithuania and Belarus This reunited Lithuanian Jews, although some people involved in Soviet activities decided to leave. Lithuanian Jews (known in Yiddish and Yeshivish as Litvish (adjective or Litvaks (noun are Ashkenazi Jews with roots in the ^[14] In few days over 3000 Jews left Vilnius to Soviet Union. ^[15] Lithuanian authorities entered Vilnius on October 28 and the capital of Lithuania started to be slowly and cautiously transferred there from Kaunas. Events 306 - Maxentius is proclaimed Roman Emperor. 312 - Battle of Milvian Bridge: Constantine Kaunas ( ˈkoʊnəs is the second largest City in Lithuania and a former temporary capital.

Immediately after Lithuanian army entered the town, a four day long Polish anti-Jewish pogrom broke out, in which one person lost life and some 200 were wounded. A pogrom is a form of Riot directed against a particular group whether ethnic religious or other and characterized by destruction of their Homes Businesses ^[16] As the Lithuanian authorities and police only fueled and supported the pogrom, the Jewish community asked nearby Russian military units for intervention. The violence only stopped after a group of 35 Soviet tanks briefly re-entered the city. ^[17] This prevented futher pogroms, that were expected on November 10-11, traditional day of anti-Jewish disturbances in the city. ^[14]

A month of Soviet rule in Vilnius had catastrophic consequences: the city was starving, the museums and archives robbed, the valuables, industry^[18] and historic documents were stolen and transferred to Russia, and many people were imprisoned or deported. Apparently, the Lithuanian government was deliberately slowing down the transfer of the capital back to Vilnius due to fears that the Soviet military presence around the city would enable the Russians to overthrow the Lithuanian government if it were based there.

The Lithuanian authorities started a campaign of de-Polonization of the city, similar policies also targeted the Jews. ^[16] Immediately upon entering the city, the Lithuanian authorities abolished the use of Polish złoty and ordered the currency to be converted to Lithuanian litas, at 250% devaluation. The złoty (/ˈzwɔtɨ/, plural for numbers ending in 2 3 and 4 (except 12 13 and 14 złote /ˈzwɔtɛ/ plural for all other numbers złotych /ˈzwɔtɨx/ The litas ( ISO currency code LTL symbolized as Lt plural litai or litų) is the currency of Lithuania. ^[16] Soon other discriminating policies followed. During the several months-long period of what the Lithuanians considered the retaking of their capital, while local Poles considered a Lithuanian occupation,^[19] roughly 50,000 ethnic Lithuanians were brought to the city. Roughly half of them were settlers from the areas of Poland annexed by the Soviet Union, while the other half were officials from within the pre-war borders of Lithuania. ^[20]

One of the unfortunate decisions made by Lithuanian authorities in this period was the closure and liquidation of the Stefan Batory University on December 15, 1939. Vilnius University (Vilniaus Universitetas formerly known as Vilnius State University, earlier - Stefan Batory University and before that Almae Events 533 - Byzantine general Belisarius defeats the Vandals, commanded by King Gelimer, at the Battle of Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In the process of Lithuanianization Polish language books were removed from stores and Polish language street names were replaced with new, in Lithuanian. Polish offices, schools, charitable social and cultural organizations, stores and businesses were closed. By June 1940 only two institutions in the entire city offered instruction in the Polish language, while roughly 4000 Polish teachers lost their jobs. ^[20] The refugees, many of whom were Poles and Jews who moved to the city in order to avoid being captured by the Germans, were denied free movement, and by March 28, 1940, all people who had not been citizens of the town in October 1920, were declared to be refugees. A displaced person (sometimes abbreviated DP) is a person who has been forced to leave his or her native place a phenomenon known as Forced migration. ^[16] Altogether, some 12,000 people were granted Lithuanian citizenship, while 150,000 of the city's inhabitants, mostly Poles, were declared foreigners, excluded from many jobs and even prohibited from riding on trains^[20].

The process of moving the capital was not yet finished when in June 1940, despite Lithuanian resistance, Vilnius was again seized by the Soviet Union and became the capital of the Lithuanian SSR. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 The Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (Lietuvos Tarybų Socialistinė Respublika Литовская Советская Социалистическая Республика Approximately 35,000 - 40,000 of the city inhabitants were arrested by the NKVD and sent to gulags at that time. The NKVD ( НКВД, ru Народный Комиссариат Внутренних Дел ''Narodnyy Komissariat Vnutrennikh Del'') or People's Commissariat The Gulag was the government agency that administered the penal labor camps of the Soviet Union.

In June 1941 the city was again seized by Nazi Germany. In the old town centre two ghettos were set up for the large Jewish population - the smaller of which was "liquidated" by October. A ghetto is described as a "portion of a city in which members of a minority group live especially because of social legal or economic pressure PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ The second ghetto lasted until 1943, though its population was regularly decimated in so called Aktionen. A failed Jewish ghetto uprising on September 1, 1943, could not prevent its final destruction. Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. About 95% of the local Jewish population was murdered. Many of them were among 100,000 victims of the mass executions in Paneriai, about 10 kilometers west of the old town centre. The Ponary massacre (or Paneriai massacre) was the Mass-murder of 100000 people mostly Jews by German SD and SS and Lithuanian during Most of the remaining 30,000 victims of the massacre were Poles - POWs, intelligentsia and members of the Armia Krajowa, which at the time was fighting against both Germans and Lithuanians. For the coffee shop company often called Intelligentsia for short see Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea.

Military actions destroyed approximately forty-percent of Vilnius' buildings, but almost all architectural monuments, including all Roman Catholic, Lutheran and Orthodox churches, survived. Only the ghetto area with the famous Great Synagogue was totally destroyed. The Great Synagogue of Vilna which once stood at the end of Jewish Street (I-2 Vilna, Lithuania, was built between 1630-1633 after permission was granted to construct

Soviet occupation

The Germans were forced to leave Vilnius in July 1944 by the combined pressure from the Polish Home Army (Operation Ostra Brama) and the Red Army (Battle of Vilnius (1944)). Operation Ostra Brama was an armed conflict during World War II between the Polish Home Army and the Nazi German occupiers of The Red Army ( Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия R aboche- K rest'yanskaya K rasnaya A rmiya In 1944–1947 the opponents of the regime, included were captured, interrogated in the NKVD Palace in Lukiškės Square, executed and buried in the Tuskulėnai Manor park. Lukiškės Square (other spellings include Łukiszki Lukiski Lukishki, Lukiškių aikštė is the largest square (about 4 ha in Vilnius, Lithuania Tuskulėnai Manor (Tuskulėnų dvaras is a neoclassical manor in Žirmūnai elderate of Vilnius, Lithuania.

The Soviets decided that it was to became again a part of the Lithuanian SSR and subsequently the Soviet government decided to repatriate the Polish population from Lithuania and Belarus after the end of World War II. The Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (Lietuvos Tarybų Socialistinė Respublika Литовская Советская Социалистическая Республика Population transfer is the movement of a large group of people from one region to another by state policy or international authority most frequently on the basis of ethnicity or religion Belarus ( Belarusian Беларусь / Biełaruś is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east This decision was soon implemented and most of the population were transferred during the so-called repatriation, organized by Soviet and local communist authorities. Repatriation (from late Latin repatriare - to restore someone to his homeland is the process of return of Refugees or Soldiers to their homes The repatriation was voluntary, but not all willing people could leave "Soviet Paradise", because Poles living in rural areas, were forced to remain where they had lived ^[21]. Most of the surviving inhabitants left Vilnius, which had an obvious impact on the city's community and its traditions. Many of the remaining Poles were arrested, murdered or sent to gulags or to remote parts of Soviet empire. The Gulag was the government agency that administered the penal labor camps of the Soviet Union.

These events, coupled with the policy of Russification and immigration of Russians from other Soviet republics the during post-war years and slow but steady repatriation of the surviving Jews to Israel, had a critical influence on the demographic situation of the city in the 1960s. Russification (in Russian: русификация rusifikátsiya)is an adoption of the Russian language or some other Russian attribute (whether voluntarily For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Vilnius experienced a rapid population upsurge due to immigrations by rural Lithuanians after 1960. Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Independent Lithuania

Beginning in 1987 there were massive demonstrations against Soviet rule in the country. On March 11, 1990, the Supreme Council of the Lithuanian SSR announced its independence from the Soviet Union and restored the independent Republic of Lithuania. Events 1425 BC - Thutmose III, Pharaoh of Egypt, dies (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th Dynasty Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) The Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (Lietuvos Tarybų Socialistinė Respublika Литовская Советская Социалистическая Республика The Soviets responded on January 9, 1991, by sending in troops. Events 475 - Byzantine Emperor Zeno is forced to flee his capital at Constantinople. Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. On January 13, during the Soviet Army attack on the State Radio and Television Building and the Vilnius TV Tower, known as the January Events, 14 people were killed and more than 700 were seriously injured. Events 532 - Nika riots in Constantinople. 888 - Odo Count of Paris becomes King of the Franks The Red Army ( Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия R aboche- K rest'yanskaya K rasnaya A rmiya The Vilnius TV Tower (Vilniaus televizijos bokštas is a 3265 metre-high (1071 ft building in the Karoliniškės Microdistrict of Vilnius, Lithuania January 1991 events in LatviaThe January Events (Sausio įvykiai were a series of events that occurred from January 11–13 1991 in Vilnius, Lithuania. The Soviet Union finally recognized Lithuanian independence in August 1991, after Soviet coup attempt of 1991. The 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt ( August 19 - August 21, 1991) also known as the August Putsch or August Coup was a three-day

The importance of Vilnius for Belarus remained at the end of 20th century. In June 1989 Vilnius was the site of the Belarusian Popular Front conference as the Belorussian Soviet authorities would not allow the event to take place in Belarus. Belarusian (National People's Front "Revival" or BPF ( Belarusian: Беларускі Народны Фронт "Адраджэньне" БНФ At the beginning of 21st century several institutes such as the European Humanities University and the independent sociology center NIESPI persecuted in Belarus by the government of Alexander Lukashenko have found an asylum in Vilnius. EHU, the European Humanities University in exile ( Еўрапейскі Гуманітарны Універсітэт, Europos Humanitarinis Universitetas is a Lithuanian Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko (Аляксандр Рыгоравіч Лукашэнка Aljaksandar Ryhoravič Lukašenka/Alyaksandar Ryhoravich Lukashenka; Александр

In the years following its independence, Vilnius has been rapidly evolving and improving, transforming from a Soviet dominated enclave into a modern European city in less than 15 years.

References

Bibliography

• Theodore R. Weeks, FROM “RUSSIAN” TO “POLISH”: Vilna-Wilno 1900-1925
• (Polish) Kłos, Juliusz (1937). "Wilno", 3rd ed. .  
• (Polish) Jerzy Remer, Wilno, Poznań
• (Polish) Łossowski, Piotr (2001). Piotr Łossowski (1925 - present is a Polish historian and professor Litwa. Warszawa: Trio. ISBN 83-85660-59-3.  
• (Polish) Levin, Don (2005). Żydzi wschodnioeuropejscy podczas II wojny światowej. Warszawa: IPN PAN. ISBN 83-7399-117-4.  
• (English) Venclova, Tomas (2001). Tomas Venclova (born September 11, 1937, Klaipėda) is a Lithuanian scholar poet author and translator of literature Vilnius - guide. Vilnius: Paknio Leidykla. ISBN 9986-830-47-8.  

See also

• Chronicles of the Vilna Ghetto: wartime photographs & documents - vilnaghetto.com
• History of Vilnius - brief history in timelines.

• History of Lithuania
• History of Poland
• Vilnius

This article discusses the history of Lithuania and of the Lithuanians. Highly developed agricultural people have lived in the area that is now Poland for the last 7500 years the Slavic people have settled in this territory for over 1500 years and the

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